*HP HDX DRAGON Owners Lounge, Part 1*

BestBuy has the hdx9010 listed for $2100 as an outlet item.

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage...oduct&id=1186006186269#tabbed-customerreviews

If you read the Best Buy reviews on that machine, a couple of the reviewers mention an HP carrying case that has rollers on it. I've searched and I can't find it. Does anyone have a link to this product ?

Edit: nevermind... I found it.
http://www.shopping.hp.com/product/notebook/notebook_hp/carrying_cases/1/accessories/KD853PA

Thanks

 

That has the very low end ATI HD 2600 card...yuk.

 

If anyone is looking for an external eSATA enclosure, I bought one of these off eBAY for $27 delivered. Works great.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Mediasonic-HD3-...58817QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1742.m153.l1262

 

Where does it get it's power from?

 

USB port. So like other HD enclosures, it won't work with an unpowered USB hub.

It also has a DC +5V in plug if one wanted to go that route.

Tested it using HD Tune. Definitely running eSATA.

The beauty of it is it also works Via USB acting as a USB harddrive for computers that don't have an eSATA connector.

 

Looks pretty smooth to me. Question though, is there an enclosure like this that would take a regular desktop sized sata drive? I have 4 - 400gb drives just laying around from a NAS upgrade that it would be great to use....

Regards,
ST

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/Mediasonic-HD6-...58817QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1742.m153.l1262

Holds 1 drive though.

 

I came across something today that may be of help to those that like to use modded/non-WHQL/LV2GO drivers but haven't because they disable features like Blu-ray, etc.

http://www.laptopvideo2go.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=15927&st=0

First page and last page of the thread have the most useful info. As I have said before, I don't have Blu-ray, and I couldn't find a post in the thread from an HP lappy owner, so I don't know if these methods will work for us. Just thought I would throw the info out there. There is a new driver on the site, 178.13 that I really like...low temps, good color scheme, nice game performance.

http://laptopvideo2go.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=21087

 

2.0 or anyone...

Is disassembly to get at cooling fans for cleaning much of a pain? I haven't read the manual as I am at work, but it's about time for me to do that. I used to be able to clean my XPS gen2 and have it back running in about 20 minutes or less, but me thinks it will be more time consuming with this beast.

 

I didn't think anyone would know the solution since most are using the 8800. 2.0 tried and I appreciate your efforts.

New related question, has anyone used their HDX with the 8800 card and 1080p TV to watch a DVD using PowerDVD, Quickplay or WinDVD? What about Blue-ray movies?

 

Just the rear cover has to come off. You'll have to remove the DVD drive and battery as that is where some of the screws are. Should take more no than 10-15 mins to remove the rear cover. But do use the manual.

 

Oh, believe me...I'll use the manual, was just curious about a time frame. Thanks bud.

 

That's high for the old configuration. I would sell my HDX T9500 that I recently purchased for $200 below that

 

Yeah it works no problem.

That being said, I was thinking of suggesting that you update the driver. I didn't suggest it yet because I'm not certain where you would find an updated driver for it. The one's for the Dv5z only support 3200HD and 3450HD.

Sorry that I couldn't be of more help.

 

2.0 (thx)

Can the GPU on the HDX be changed from the Radeon to the Nvidia 8800M GTS and if so how?

Also is the Nvidea GeForce 9600 MGT more or less powerfull than Nvidea 8800M GTS?

 

Last warning rumba. Do NOT link directly to executable files. Link to the page the executable is on.

I know, doing so would seemingly minimize your usefulness as now everyone will know where to look for new drivers.

 

Check your PM inbox.

 

FTP client is not necessary.

You found them by looking at this site:

ftp://ftp.hp.com/pub/softlib/

Then all you have to do is tell people to look in the software 10 directory, then navigate to COL24426 subfolder, then navigate to gs-62916-1 subdirectory.

Or you could post it like this:

ftp://ftp.hp.com/pub/softlib/software10/COL24426/gs-62916-1/

Make note of how it's done for the future when you come back under another name.

 

Thats great to hear (that it works with the 8800). Have not been able to find a good driver. Might have to purchase a 8800, but then that would void my warranty. Thanks for your help.

Does anyone knows of a good video driver for the ATI 2600 card.

 

Excellent advice and good catch 2.0!!!

 

@hovercraftdriver, I use the latest WHQL drivers from Nvidia with the inf from www.laptopvideo2go.com on my 64bit Vista.

What i don't know until today is if the HDMI is 1.3a. Cant't test it in the momend cause i got only a HDMI<->DVI cable. I hobe it is because of Dolby TrueHD.


@2.0, thanks for the info. Thought i need DDR2-800 because the Samsung RAM in my Dragon is. But your right, the PM965 is DDR2-667. This FSB, Bus Speed, DRAM Frequency stuff is allways confusing me.Yes the T9300 i think will be a jump in perfromance cause of its bigger cache. But i can also use the x9000? The X9000 has 44Watt...

And what is the secret behind this PM about the GeForce 9600 MGT

 

+1 on having the dual interfaces. It makes the drive much more versatile.

Why does that enclosure have a 500GB limit ?

I bought this one:
http://www.memoryexpress.com/Products/PID-BDL1066(ME).aspx

500GB HD + dual interface enclosure for $100. It uses 3.5" drives, which means its a bit larger and less portable, but 3.5" 1TB drives are much cheaper than the 2.5" models.

I use mine with a PVR receiver as well as my laptop.

 

I would guess because that is the biggest 2.5" hard drive available today.

 

Greetings:

I just receive my HDX9494NR today and would like to install Win XP Pro 32 & 64 bit sp3 on a new 7200RPM HD. Before doing this, I would like to gather and d/l all the necessary drivers. However, I only see a handfull of drivers available at HP web-site, Synaptic touchpad, HP Wireless Assistant , Intel Matrix Storage Manager and Bios. Where can I find the rest Audio, Video, Dispaly, Finger Print biometric, Wireless network etc and is there a driver package that I can d/l all at once?

Thanks in advance for your time and help.

 

www.hpdrivers.mercs.us

 

Ok...maybe I overlooked this but after further inspection of specs (on HP's site and others) for the HDX9494NR it should have a modem with an RJ-11 port. I just received mine 2 days ago and found no RJ-11 port. This may not mean much to those that have moved into the Broadband World but for those who still live in the sticks who dont have that option, this is an important piece of hardware to have. Was extremely disappointed. Not so disappointed that I send this beauty back though. Anyone else notice this? Or have I just gone blind and am not seeing the non existant modem? Confused as to why HP's site shows RJ-11 port as part of specs if it really isn't. Is this a model number thing where some models do and some dont?

 

Yeah mate, that's ironic. I noticed that before also. It's on the promo spec sheet but the service manual doesn't list it nor do any walk around photos/diagrams of the ports on HP's site.

No models ever had it.

Maybe someone could recommend a usb or expresscard modem if you don't have one already.

 

Nope dont have one yet.. Anyone have any suggestions? Any pros/cons between USB or expressCard modems?

 

2.0:

Greatly appreciate for the HP driver link.

 

I have been using Belkin Wireless G Router 125 Hi-speed (F5D7231-4) for years without needing to broadcast my SSID and I am able to connect wirelessly through this router with my Dell Inspiron 9200 (XP Pro sp2) without any problem. However, for some reason the HDX9494NR refuses to connect to the wireless network if the SSID is not broadcasting. Does anyone run into this problem? If so, is there any work around? I think this could be the Vista OS problem.

Thanks in advance for your time and help.

 

Yes, here's what to do:

With the Belkin router boradcasting the SSID,

right click the the network Icon in tray, choose network and sharing center.

screen will popup. On the left , you'll see a task pane. choose manage wireless networks.

right click on the Belkin router, choose properties then check box that says something to the effect of "connect even if not broadcasting."

Now you can turn off the router's SSID and it will still connect. But there's no security concern for broadcasting the SSID... as you can/will see, it can still be detected. If you're using WPA2 you're good security-wise.

 

Is it possible to hook the Dragon up with Time Warner cable for HDTV? I'm still a bit confused as none of my computers in the past have been wired for cable. I realize the built in tuner may not be the answer, but am wondering about external tuners.

The forum seems quiet today. You can almost hear a pin connector drop.

Thanks

 

Well, I just stopped in happy to report that I got a refund through UPS!! I no longer have my headache and I have my money back . Newegg was awsome in helping me out with this. It's been fun being a kinda sorta hdx owner gl to the rest of you!!

 

You're welcome.

As most of the regular posters here know, I'm never that sarcastic in my responses, and I apologize to them (not you) for being so. You just happened to be the BDT that finally broke the straw, so nothing personal - I'm just seeing questions being responded to with arrogant BS and not anything helpful.

The reason I made an exception in your case is that this Forum thread prides itself on furnishing people with either professional technical information and solutions gained from many years of experience gained, or, at the very least, technical information and discussion that is of the high quality and standards. Many of us regular contributers here are all technical professionals with years of training and real world experience in the industry. We provide assistance on our own time because many vendor support systems have gone to 3rd world support services for warranty responses, or have broken down completely, and we feel the need to give back something to the industry that's made all of us successful. If nothing else sets this Forum thread apart, it's the fact that questions asked will get solid tech responses and advice. And as 2.0 can affirm, I can tell the difference between a professional with training and experience and someone trying to fake it in a response. You can't even fake it that well.

Many of us here have experienced more than our share of BDT's with little or no real world technical experience flooding tech forums with what amounts to little more than techno-BS, seeing it all as a game or a competition rather than actual helping someone.

Users who have no technical experience and are searching for answers unfortunately can't tell the difference between solid tech advice and those who are just quoting from someone else's post on another site, a database, or are trying to apply their minimal experience with their own systems at home or work to a full range of technical issues and computer systems just to inflate their own egos. It's really bad on the HP Support Forums - rather than give solid tech advice, everyone is competing for icons and points and just throwing out a whole range of possible solutions hoping one will be correct. No wonder users get pissed off or exasperated.

I actually had a BDT (with lots of points and pretty icons too) disagree with my assessment that Norton and AVG are nothing more than useless process and memory hogs for idiots who don't know any better. To hear him, NAV is the greatest thing since the bikini. Wonder why it's on Decrapifier's list? I saw another suggest to someone else that they could take their GPU to a "local repair shop" and have the loose solder connection (his "technical assessment" of the problem) fixed. Guess he must've missed the last 20 years of SMT manufacturing.

That's what I dislike about BDT's the most - when you post something, and an unknowing user with no previous tech experience or background trusts and blindly follows it and winds up with more problems because of that post, that user is the one who suffers, not you. I've seen techno-BS "solutions" posted on the HP Forums that if the user actually followed them, they would likely wind up with a fried machine or at very least loss of data. But it doesn't affect the BDT who gave the "solution" - he/she just doesn't get any points, an icon, or a woody.

The user who trusted that the "solution" provided by the BDT wouldn't trash his system is out a lot more than just money, as anyone who's had to help a client replace a system can attest to. Time, data loss, productivity and more all figure into a system loss caused by bad advice followed by someone who didn't know any better.

The really sad fact of BDT's is that many of us wind up fixing systems that have been affected by their "advice" or attempts at fixing systems without the benefit of any realistic training and experience. Users take their systems in to get fixed, then get them back with the same problems (or worse), and a large bill to boot, which is nothing short of a ransom demand to get their systems back.

Your response didn't include any real useful information that Ullar could've used, but that normally wouldn't have elicited such a sharp response from me. But mentioning an XP downgrade in your response, aside from the fact it wasn't even relevant to his question, was just an attempt by you to try and techno-BS everyone here into thinking that you have some technical knowledge. In fact it did exactly the opposite - it proves you don't know squat about what you're talking about, outside of maybe some experience with your own systems, and stuff you've seen posted by other BDT's elsewhere. The rest was just babbling about you and how great your system was. Hell, you couldn't even reply here with correct specs for the system you were babbling about, and you obviously don't know as much about the HDX as you pretend. Since you've got a question mark above your head after reading the last sentence, I suggest you review the HDX manual again, assuming you've ever even looked at it.

Caveat Emptor should be the signature for all BDT's - actually I should remove the "T" from the acronym since the "Tech" doesn't really apply.

The people here on this thread know the difference between tech and techno-BS - go lower the standards of a different Forum somewhere else. Try one of those UK sites - they believe just about anything.

 

Thank you much for your help.

 

MA,
As long as you've got the cable input in the back you shouldn't have any problem. Run a direct feed or use an adapter to split off a feed to your HDX tuner. Mine doesn't have a "tight fit" connection, so make sure yours is situated where the connector won't come out by just moving the system or cable around. After it's in, you can use WMC or QuickPlay to access it. Your source is determined by how you hook up the coax input.

You should have received a black "Getting Started" manual with your system - if you go to the tab section labled "Tuner (NTSC)" it's got a pretty good procedure for getting your system up and running with it. Try it first and see if you have any problems. If you didn't get one, I can list it out on PDF for you.

 

Do I need a cable box to feed into it? The goal is to access HDTV content.

Thanks

 

Is anyone here happy with sound level of your HDX?

Just pop several DVDs in and the sound is kinda low in comparison to my old Inspiron 9200 and for an Altec Lansing speaker with Sub woofer; even though the volume is at its maximum setting. Is this normal?

I google and browse through the first 50 messages but I couldn't find anything.

 

Another question about cable on the HDX...
It's my understanding that I will be able to use it as a DVR. How is the programming saved? Does it have any DRM or whatever?

I'm hoping to be able to tape all the cartoons and stuff and burn them onto DVD's that will play in my kids DVD player upstairs, where there is no cable.

Is there any way this is possible? And if so, will I need any specific software? If it matters, I have Charter cable.

Thanks in advance for any help.

 

Hey all - I'm thinking about buying one of these bad boys, but I have a few quick questions before I do, if I may.

First of all, am I free to reformatt my machine the way you would expect, and have it free of any bloatware / extra crap I dont need? Following on from that, I'm buying directly from HP - I assume any support disks that come with the machine will be adequate for the task? i.e, will have all the drivers I need for installing a fesh copy of win vista ultimate 64 (mine is pre-installed with win-vista home premium 64). Also, if I decide to shift to XP 32bit, am I going to be able to get drivers for everything, if not on the support disk, then online?

I read in another forum that someone was told his warranty was void because he reformated... it sounds unlikely to me, but Id like to check bottom line is, Im not fan of having laptops set up for me - I lke to do it all myself and have nothing on there I didnt specifically install myself - i already have all the software that I need so I dont need anything pre-installed - i just want to be able to use the hardware im buying in the way that I want, with all my own programs installed - and I know some companies seem to enjoy robbing you of that freedom in any way that they can. As long as I can reformat and configure the way I please, and still have HP help me out if some of my hardware fails, Im a happy bunny and have no qualms departing with my hard earned cash for one of these things

 

What's a BDT?

True...true...but isn't every forum on the internet that way? Until they require certifications for posting answers, and as long as forum boards are based on REP points or whatever, everyone will have to continue to sift through the posts and determine what is BS and what isn't. After all, you get what you pay for here (it is FREE)...if you want an accurate, guaranteed answer, that's what Professional, paid-for service companies are for!

Forums are nothing more than advice. The same you'd get from a friend or the guy sitting next to you at a bar. Take it or leave it, and at your own risk.

True, but again, that's the name of the game, and the game is FREE for anyone who wants to join in.

While I make my living providing paid-for service, I certainly do my share of providing FREE advice and consult to friends, family, and forum members, and I must agree, that sometimes, those who come here and post a question that has been answered ad-nauseum, just because they are too lazy to do a search first, makes you want to b*tch-slap them sometimes! But, I just remember that they are inexperienced, so I either ignore them, knowing they'll soon find the answer elsewhere, or someone will step in and answer again for the 43rd time. That's one important concept I've learned in my 22 years of being a tech...people waste no time coming for help without using their own time or resources to figure it out. If you ignore them for a bit, they generally tend to figure it out on their own. And, if they don't, then they really need help, and I'll get involved.

Anyways, thanks to you and 2.0 and others for helping to provide detailed, accurate answers to the masses that gravitate to this forum for help!

 

Ummm, are you in the right forum? You're getting the 20" HDX or one of the newer 16" or 18" HDX's?

The reason I ask is because the 20" HDX (which this forum is for), has been discontinued and is not available directly from HP.

If you're getting a 16 or 18" there are owner's lounges here for those particular models that you can get the help you need.

In short, though, the advice given here is that you should backup your SWSETUP folder before reformatting, as that is the folder with all your drivers and software needed for reinstall. HP does not provide you with OS DVD's for reinstalling (from what I've read)...

 

Great Link!

On this page in the forums...

http://www.laptopvideo2go.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=15927&st=60

I came across this link...

http://www.driverheaven.net/nvmodtool.php

I used this software to install 178.13 and I got Blu-Ray to work!!!
The 3DMark06 score was 8119

My system specs 2.5Ghz Core2duo, 4GB ram, WUXGA set at 1280x1024, and of course 8800m GTS.

 

For clarification, this is the 20 inch HDX I'm talking about - the 9440 to be precise, still available from the HP site in the UK (I'm in the UK). It's not configurable like I believe the HDX was on the US HP webby - so I presume they're just flushing out stock now, but the specs are great for the price, and I've got a nice little coupon for it Hehe.

EDIT: Oh, and thanks for the info about the drivers I assume that means, however, they would only provide drivers for a 64bit vista install (seeing as that is what is preinstalled on my machine) in that folder... does that mean I'm screwed if I want to switch to XP 32? Or are these drivers available elsewhere (say, for example, the HP website)? I know that sounds like a lazy question because I could just check for myself, but on account of the fact I don't actually HAVE the machine yet, I can't really tell what I'd be looking for - or even if I'd found some drivers, if they were the right ones or not

Cheers again for the help

 

I see...didn't know they were still available over there...in any case, I hope I answered your question. Good luck!

 

If you have Tuner model A321, then you can receiver what's called ClearQAM. That would be channels 2-13 in HD via direct cable input. All other channels will be in SD.

If you have tuner model A312, you're SOL trying to receive HDTV via direct cable input.

Connecting the output of a cable box wouldn't work since the only way to input an HD signal from a cable box is to use Component video (3 plug red,green,blue) or HDMI output into a corresponding input - of which the HDX doesn't have.

 

It's no problem to do it using either Quickplay or Windows Media Center. Generally there's no DRM to worry about. Then you can use windows movie maker to burn the video file(s) to DVD along with menus.

 

http://www.radarsync.com/index.php

 

HP, a couple of days ago, did a makeover on their main HP Home shopping page (in a mostly Black color scheme), and I found it interesting that this is the first picture that comes up on their new site:



Hmmm....didn't they discontinue that or does it just look so darn awesome they felt compelled to use it to draw people in!??

"The Computer is Personal Again"...

 

Glad to help and glad to know the Blu-ray works using this method. Hopefully others won't shy away from what can be pretty decent drivers with nice performance.

BTW, your 3dMark score was almost identical to mine, which is about 275 points higher than my previous stock, non-OC'd best.